The Asantehene, Otumfour Osei Tutu II has commended the Ministry of Youth & Sports and the National Sports Authority (NSA) for choosing Kumasi as the venue for the UNITY GAMES 2013. He expressed his gratitude to the organisers, NSA, and further appealed to the Government to increase its budget allocation for sports development in the country. Otumfour made the observations when the Minister for Youth & Sports, Hon Ankrah paid a courtesy call on him at the Manhyia Palace, in Kumasi, ahead of this year’s National Sports Festival, dubbed Unity Games 2013. He finally appealed to corporate organisations, especially those within the Ashanti Region to get on board to support this worthy course. The Minister was accompanied by the Kumasi Mayor, Mr. Kojo Bonsu, the Acting Director General of NSA, Madam Alice Attipoe, the Public Affairs Manager, Hamah Hamid Issakah, among others. At the launch of the Games at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium in Kumais, Hon Afriyie Ankrah has reiterated the need to help build social, cultural and political bridges of unity and harmonious relationship in the country. Launching this year’s National Sports Festival dubbed ‘National Unity Games 2013’ at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium in Kumasi, the Minister said the games will also serve as a platform for the identification and discovery of budding talents. This year’s Games will be under the theme, ‘Sports For Unity, Peace and Development’ would be held from August 11-18, 2013, at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium. Kwame Nkrumah University of Science & Technology (KNUST) will be the Games Village, while the KNUST Swimming Pool will host the swimming championships. The Minister announced that the region will play host to over 4,000 Athletes, Coaches, Technical and Sports Administrators from across the country. He said the talents identified will be nurtured and trained so as to get a formidable contingent capable of winning laurels for Ghana at the Commonwealth Games 2014 slated for Glasgow, Scotland. The Minister assured the Regional Sports Directors of the National Sports Authority of the Ministry’s unflinching commitment to providing equal opportunities to all the sporting disciplines whilst working to provide the requisite infrastructure and facilities to enable national athletes compete to the desired international levels.